Page 81 (2/2)

I was glad it wasn’t shaking, even though that’s what I felt like on the inside Shaken Like someone had picked me up and rattled my very bones

Cristian was observing me His eyes were mostly focused on the area ofto bruise It was still hot and throbbing, but I refused to acknowledge it

“You’re right” His voice sounded strange It was even but detached in a way the likes of which I’d never heard fro about his body language was taut, wired His mouth was a thin line, jaw clenched I wasn’t sure if it was because of what had happened to ht belonged to him

Wasn’t I meant to be untouchable as the bride of the Don? If I wasn’t, that questioned his position, his power

“If it were anyone else, you’d be staring at their corpse right now,” Cristian continued “But Lorenzo is not anyone else His blood protects him”

I thought about his ras in the kitchen The mania in his eyes “He’s their son?” I deduced “Vincentius and Sofia’s?”

Cristian nodded once “Yes”

“And usually, the title for Don goes to the first-born son” I spoke slowly as all the pieces started falling into place

Cristian’s face was unreadable “Right again”

“But not this time?” My eyes went to the portrait on the wall

This was the brother of the dead girl The one who everyone so adored That had been so special, so beautiful, her loss leeching froed them all, transformed Cristian into a soulless monster, Lorenzo into a violent piece of shit Vincentius and Sofia into people with so broken in their eyes

He’d spoken about her, Lorenzo Hoas nothing like her

I hated that That everyone in this family had known her Adored her That, if I so Cristian, I’d forever be compared to the princess, forever fall short Because I was not soft, gentle, with an innocent, heart-shaped face My loss would not leave holes in people for years to come Jessica would be upset, sure She’d mourn me for a time As would Aiden But they’d recover Live Eventually they’d talk about how tragic it was that a friend they used to have died so young I would be forgotten